UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

09/25/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/26/2025 00:34

UNESCO Promotes Sustainable Tourism in Trinidad with an Audiovisual Series on Culture and Tradition

The UNESCO Regional Office in Havana presented the documentary series "Trinidad, the Art of Remaining" in Trinidad, produced in close collaboration with the Office of the Conservator of Trinidad and the Valley of the Sugar Mills, and with support from the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The audiovisual invites viewers to discover the living heritage and cultural practices that sustain the identity of Cuba's third oldest town, proposing culture as a driver of community-centered sustainable tourism. The premiere took place in Trinidad on September 18, 2025, with a public presentation in partnership with the Havana International Festival of New Latin American Cinema.

GUARDIANES DEL TIEMPO, Trinidad 2025
UNESCO
Trinidad is not just a place to visit: it is a place to live, to feel, and to be transformed everyday thanks to its people. Through their knowledge and creativity, they show us that heritage is not only preserved: it is shared, reinvented, and becomes a driver of sustainable development. We hope this series inspires other communities to recognize the value of their own heritage.
Anne Lemaistre
Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Havana
With four episodes, the series explores crafts, knowledge, music, creative enterprises, and the cultural landscapes of Trinidad and the Valley of the Sugar Mills - listed as World Heritage Sites since 1988 - to highlight the people who create, maintain, and transmit these practices.

Living Culture and Local Development
"Trinidad, the Art of Remaining" is part of the Communities for Heritage project, a UNESCO initiative that promotes the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and the development of responsible tourism experiences based on local identity. In June 2025, the project held the workshop "Communities for Heritage: Safeguarding Heritage and Sustainable Tourism" in Trinidad, bringing together stakeholders in heritage, tourism, and urban planning to design sustainable itineraries and strengthen community participation in site management. The series complements these efforts by offering a close narrative on the value of living heritage for everyday life and local development.

Portada Trinidad 2025
UNESCO
Episode 1: Guardians of Time
Casa Toña, a 19th-century colonial house, has been transformed into a guesthouse by Eduardo and his family. The home preserves its original architecture and furniture, passed down through generations, and incorporates sustainable technologies such as solar panels. In the same family setting, Barcafé blends tradition and hospitality, guided by Carlos Sotolongo, an art historian who advocates for heritage-based tourism as a way of life. The music and dance of the group Leyenda Folk connect architectural legacy with the region's Afro-Cuban heritage.

Episodio: GUARDIANES DEL TIEMPO, Trinidad 2025
UNESCO
Episode 2: Land That Inspires, Crafts That Endure
In the hands of José Miguel Cadalso, fans become unique pieces that defy time. The Municipal Band, with over a hundred years of history, continues to play every Sunday in the main park. In his workshop, Israel Rondón paints with pigments extracted from the earth, while at SantLop farm, Alberto cultivates food, experiences, and environmental awareness. Trinidad emerges as a place where traditional crafts coexist with new ways of living and creating.

TIERRA QUE INSPIRA, OFICIOS QUE RESISTEN, Trinidad 2025
UNESCO
Episode 3: Threads of Identity
Adrián Carmona weaves with the conviction that textiles are part of Trinidad's DNA. In Vallecito de Seda, rural women raise silkworms and craft lace using ancestral techniques. Trapita, a community project, transforms fabric scraps into dolls that carry affection and memory. In every stitch, in every thread, generations, knowledge, and dreams intertwine to shape an identity that is not lost-it is reinvented.

HILOS DE IDENTIDAD, Trinidad 2025
UNESCO
Episode 4: Clay, Music, and Memory
In the workshops of the Santander family, ceramics are crafted as they were centuries ago: with hands that burnish, carve, and remember. Daniel, José, and Neidy continue a tradition that has shaped the city since the 19th century. The Tonadas Trinitarias, born from the fusion of African and Spanish influences, resonate in the voices of Michel Morales and the Valdespino family. Music and clay become languages of living memory.
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